WA Gov. Suspends Death Penalty

Death Row let in a little more light in Washington state on Tuesday, when Gov. Jay Inslee announced his opposition to capital punishment and suspended its use during his term. “Equal justice under the law is the state’s primary responsibility,” he said at a press conference. “And in death-penalty cases, I’m not convinced equal justice is being served.” Inslee promised to issue a reprieve to any death-penalty cases that cross his desk, and the Attorney General's Office said he had the power to do so “for good cause shown, and as the governor thinks proper." There are nine men on Death Row at the Washington State Penitentiary.